princip

Princip, in historical English usage, is an archaic or rarely used noun that referred to a leader or chief, similar in sense to a prince. In some Middle English texts, princip could denote a person of high rank who governed or presided over a domain. Over time, the form largely fell out of modern usage, with prince becoming the standard word for a royal male and principal increasingly used to mean “main” or “head.” Today, princip is mostly encountered in philological discussions or as a historical variant rather than as a part of everyday English.

Etymology and origin trace princip to Latin princeps “first, foremost, chief,” via Old French influence on early English. The same semantic root gave rise to related words such as principal and principle, each diverging in meaning: principal as a noun or adjective meaning main or head, and principle as a fundamental rule or truth.

Modern notes and usage. In contemporary writing, princip is not standard and is usually avoided. If referring to a sovereign or noble leader, prince is the correct term. If describing the main person in charge or the chief item, principal is appropriate. If discussing a fundamental rule or standard, principle is the appropriate word. When encountered in historical texts, princip should be interpreted in its context as an older form of rank designation.

See also: prince, principal, principle, etymology of the root princip-.